Indiana GOP Loser in Vote Fight Drops Suit Against House

EVANSVILLE, Ind. — Rick McIntyre, the Republican candidate for Indiana's 8th District congressional seat, has dropped his federal lawsuit against the U.S. House, filed after it refused to seat him in January, an adviser said Thursday.

McIntyre originally was certified by state officials as the winner by 34 votes, but House Democrats held the seat vacant until a federal recount, which showed that Democratic incumbent Frank McCloskey had won by four votes.

The move does not mean that Republicans are abandoning their legal fight over the election, said Steve Nix of the Republican National Congressional Committee. "This is legal maneuvering," Nix said. "We think we need to consolidate our efforts."

The state attorney general's office has a suit against the House pending before the U.S. Supreme Court.